Dragon Age: Pawns & Knights
by JCJ007
Summary: In an era where beings are defined by the faith & values they are raised with or the gifts & skills they are born with, two (2) individuals that belong to each side of this metaphorical fence, will have to put their differences aside and find the courage to change the order established. What will it take for you to trust that person on the other side of the fence?


**I love Dragon Age. Simple. Its world, characters, story, themes. Just like other sagas like Star Wars, Mass Effect, Lord of The Rings; the universe of Dragon Age is so vast and beautiful that it's hard to choose just one piece of it. My focus would be in its characters and lore, which I think they are the most important elements in the Dragon Age series. The driving force, the characters and the fuel, its lore. The story I present to you is a back story of a really interesting character that I hope I was able to do as much justice as possible. Please feel free to comment. Thank you for your time.**

**- PAWNS AND KNIGHTS -**

**First Enchanter:** _"By playing at chess, we may learn four things in life:_

_Foresight, circumspection and caution "_

**Female Mage:** _"Wait, you said there are four things. You just mentioned three"._

**First Enchanter:**_ "Ah, well, the fourth one comes in the shape of a story. Look at your _

_pieces, think of your next move, and listen..."_

- When I first manifested my powers, I thought I was greater than Andraste herself. I

thought I could reshape the world with just the thrust of my fingers; until the templars

came.

Feel powerless, when you have all the power in the world, made me sick. And from

young age, like other mages, I learned that life separates beings like if they were

mabaris.

When I arrived at the circle, I felt so much anger, which became self pity and then

acceptance.

Other mages tried to escape, others resorted to suicide by jumping from the last

window of the tower, and most unlucky ones tried to become blood mages.

Me, well, let's say that I focused my anger and frustration in something entirely

different: a chess board.

- My interest in chess was more than the love of the game itself.

It's concept is so magical yet it looks so... simple. No matter how many times I look at its

board and pieces, it doesn't fail to impress me every time. I always wondered, if such balance

exists in this inanimate object, would it be possible to find this balance in this life?

- After my Harrowing, I didn't feel anything special. I saw this trial as mere amusement

for my "masters" the templars. All of a sudden, that window in the last floor didn't

seem like a bad idea.

Until one day this young man, royalty no less, arrived with the King's court;

apparently there were some important businesses that required the attention of the

First Enchanter, to be honest, I didn't care for an outside world that I

didn't know or haven't done anything for me.

Like I was saying, this young man approached me I can't remember why he did that.

There were no less than 100 mages in that room that day and he decided to approach

me.

And he did, carrying a chess board under his arm.

- _"Do you know the game of chess?", _he asked.

I replied in defiant tone: _"Is that another way for insulting a mage?", "Do you think, _

_because we are locked between these walls, shooting pretty lights out of our fingers, our_

_ability to think and learn about the world we live in, is limited?."_

The young man, smiled at me and said: _"I was just trying to invite you to take part in a _

_match with me"._

I accepted the invitation, not because I felt so foolish by my response, but it was a

chance to destroy this so call "normal".

- I am not going to lie, I enjoyed that match, but then he muttered these

dreadful words:_ "Check and Mate"._

I was furious, I wanted to cast a fire ball so I could melt his grin. I stood up and barked

at him in frustration: _"Well, once again, a mage has been vanquished"._

He looked at me and expressed: _"You know, this concerns me"._

Oblivious of his analysis I quickly responded: _"What, that you couldn't beat me in less _

_moves?"._

He refuted my answer by saying:_ "No, that pawns are born free, yet they are everywhere _

_in chains"._

Before I could reply, he continue: _"There's another man with whom I came with, a _

_templar, same like you and who play with me on the way here"._

I told him:_ "Don't you dare compare me with a templar!"._

He calmly replied:_ "I am not talking about the label bestowed upon you, I am referring to _

_the weight on your shoulders for be what you are"._

_"Like mages, templars are chained to their lives, too."_

- At that moment, a squire stormed the room and call for the young man announcing a

sighting of the Orlesian army.

The young man, before he exited the quarters, looked at me and said:

_"Remember my friend, when the chess game is over, the pawn and the king go back to _

_the same box"._

And that was the last time I saw that young man.

- Early in the morning, all the full circle mages gathered with the king's army and when I

was readying myself, the First Enchanter told me that I, and other two mages, needed

to coordinate the apprentices in case they were needed. Once again, I felt cast out.

Two hours passed when the battle horns finally sound. At that same time a templar,

same age as me entered the room and asked who was in charge. I said: _"Me, what do _

_you want?"._

He wasn't intimidated by my stance and just said: _"Quick, we need to go, prince's orders. _

_Gather the apprentices and follow me"._

Before I could argue with this templar, I quickly realized that my brothers and sisters

were looking at me waiting for an answer. I learned then, that I had to stop thinking

in winning an argument and start learning to care about others. That my arrogance and

defiance needed to be more than just feelings but qualities.

_"Okay, lead the way", _I said.

- We started to walk through the sewers and instead of trying to figure out how this

templar had more knowledge of this tower than the mages, I was paying more

attention in the object that the young templar was carrying, the chess board of that

young sovereign I played last evening.

No more than thirty minutes, when we saw the end of the tunnel and exited to the far

side of the valley. When we turned around to see the battlefield, it was clear that the

Orlesian army was better prepared, they brought magic. Tevinter magic.

We kept walking, holding the lives of people no older than both the templar and me,

all the way deep into the forest where we met with other templars who were waiting

for us to arrive.

We set camp that evening, it was good to feel the air of the outside world but I was still

wary of being in custody of the templars. It felt like the circle but without the walls.

- Late in the evening, when everybody was either eating or sleeping, the young templar

approached me; carrying the chess board and sat down beside me.

_"You know, I was always taught to feel hate and fear for your kind", _he said.

_"That's funny, I always taught your kind didn't have any feelings"_, I quickly responded.

He smiled.

_"He knew from the beginning that we didn't stand a chance against the Orlesians", _he

remarked.

_"Who knew?", _I asked.

_"Prince Maric", _the templar responded.

_"Prince Maric was there?!", _I expressed my surprise.

The templar rolled his eyes and said to me: _"With all your power and you are as blind _

_as a nug in a dark cave"._

_"You played with him last evening". _

His response left me without words. The templar opened the chess board and took out the pieces. I stopped him and said: _"I am not in the mood for a game"._

He looked at me and whispered:_ "We are not playing, look here"._

- He opened a letter which Prince Maric himself wrote, congratulating the young

templar and the young mage for two excellent chess matches and how he

enjoyed their company.

The letter continued saying that_ "life is like a chess match, changing with each _

_move". _He was encouraging both of us in starting a new relationship between

Templars and Mages and the ultimate proof of his trust came in the shape of the

chess pieces, which contained the phylacteries of all the mages that escaped so they

wouldn't be followed or used by the Orlesians or the Tevinter magisters.

Also, the young templar showed me that under the chess board, a sketch of a map was

displayed showing coordinates to what looked

like a vast lake.

_"Is that Lake Calenhad?", _I asked.

The templar quickly responded, _"Yes, prince Maric wants us to start anew with both _

_templar and mage leadership"._

_"Mages and Templars, leaving peacefully?, I will respect my liege's wishes but I don't _

_agree with them"._

As he was walking towards his tent, I remember Prince Maric's words and the burden of

labels.

_"Irving", _I shouted.

He stopped and looked back at me frowning.

_"My name is Irving, and I look forward working with you"._

He tried to make sense of that awkward moment. He pause for another second and

quickly directed his right hand, making a fist touching the side of his breastplate above

his heart.

_ "I am Greagoir, and we have a lot of work ahead of us, Irving. Try to rest"._

- **First Enchanter Irving:** _"And since then, Greagoir and I had been at each other's throats _

_trying to kill each other. Oh, by the way, Check Mate"._

**Female Mage:** _"Hey that's not fair, Irving, you just distracted me so you could win"._

**First Enchanter Irving:** _"Chess requires full concentration"._

_"OK, Wynne, it's time to retire to your quarters"._

**Wynne:** _"Irving, you never told me the fourth thing you learn in life by playing chess"._

**First Enchanter Irving:** _"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Lastly, we learn by playing chess the _

_habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances in _

_the state_

_of our affairs, the habit of hoping for a favorable chance, and _

_that of preserving in the secrets of resources"._

**Wynne:**_ "What?"._

**First Enchanter Irving:** _"Go to sleep Wynne, I am just an old man rambling about. _

_Besides I have one last meeting with a mage before going to _

_sleep"._

**Wynne:**_ "Good night, Irving. Thank you for the match and the story"._

**First Enchanter Irving:** _"No, thank you, Wynne. Now, Uldred what can I do for you this _

_evening?"._


End file.
